Index tab

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to index tabs which are constructed of self adhesive sheet material protected by a backing sheet. The index tab comprises a larger label portion cut from the adhesive sheet and a smaller index portion cut from the backing sheet. The part of the index tab projecting outwardly from the edge of the card consists of a part of the label portion and the index portion, whereby the upper edges of both are coinciding.

United States Patent [1 1 Heimann INDEX TAB [76] Inventor: Egon Heimann, Falkenberg 61, 56

Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 97,463

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 9, 1970 Germany P 20 00 798.1

[52] US. Cl. 40/2 R, 40/360 [51] Int. Cl A44c 3/00 [58] Field of Search 40/2, 23 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,507,659 5/1950 Zalkind 40/23 A X 2,893,144 7/1944 Cunningham 40/23 A 1 July 24, 1973 3,054,202 9/1962 Schofield 40/23 A 3,245,162 4/1966 McElroy 40/23 A Primary Examiner-Robert W, Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney-George H. Spencer et al.

57 ABSTRACT The invention relates to index tabs which are constructed of self adhesive sheet material protected by a backing sheet. The index tab comprises a larger label portion cut from the adhesive sheet and a smaller index portion cut from the backing sheet. The part of the index tab projecting outwardly from the edge of the card consists of a part of the label portion and the index portion, whereby the upper edges of both are coincidmg.

1 Claim, 14 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJULZMSB SHEET 1 [IF 3 PATENTEDJULZMBTS Fig. 7

sum 2 or 3 Fig.8

2* lid PATENTED JUL 2 4 I975 sum 3 0F 3 INDEX TAB BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to index tabs constructed of adhesive coated sheet material and more particularly to a material in sheet, strip or tape form having a nondrying pressure sensitive adhesive surface coated with a backing sheet, and to various products and applications thereof which have a tab projecting outwardly from the edge of the card or member to carry a label for an index designation.

Index tabs of the general type set forth above are constructed of a transparent sheet with a self sealing layer and a portion for index designation, that is cut out of the backing sheet. After releasing the index tab from the backing sheet there are uncoated portions of the transparent sheet above and below the index portion.

These index tabs are used in a way that after designation the lower portion of the transparent sheet is being attached to the rear side of a card and the upper portion being folded over the index portion and affixed to the front side of the card.

This index tab is difficult to produce, as tab sheet material has to be cut from both sides to secure a quite and unobjectionable release of the index tab fom the remaining backing sheet. To facilitate releasing a strongly adhesive repelling backing sheet is required, whereby it is scarcely avoidable that the rear side of the backing sheet becomes also adhesive repelling. The consequence of this is that index designations will not sufficiently adhere to the surface of the index label.

Users of such index tabs have also experienced difficulty in the necessity to produce an index tab by folding the upper transparent plastic portion over the lable for index designation.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved index tab of the general type set forth above which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and difficulties.

In accordance with the present invention the index tab comprises a larger label portion cut from the adhesive coated material and a smaller index portion cut from the backing sheet material, whereby the part of the index tab projecting outwardly from the edge of the card or member consists of parts of both adhesive coated and backing material, whereby the edges of the label and index portion are coinciding.

According to this embodiment of the invention an improved index tab is obtained of a construction that is simple to produce and easy to applicate.

For production may be used a known format sheet, consisting of an adhesive coated material covered with a backing material. By longitudinally cutting said formatsheet into strips according to the width of the index tabs and by transversely cutting the adhesive coated material into label portions according to the length of the index tabs as well as cutting the backing material into index portions and a remaining supporting strip by a longitudinal cutting line according to the width of the index portion and a plurality of transverse cutting lines according to the length of said index portions, index tabs are reached which for easy application are arranged one after another on a continued supporting strip consisting of a part of said backing sheet. Index tabs produced in this manner may easily be peeled from the supporting strip as the protruding portion of said tab is freely disposed as a pull tab.

Marking may receive either the index portion cut from the backing material or the label portion cut from the adhesive coated material. The index portion may also be exchanged by another similar portion.

The presnet invention furthermore suggests that the backing sheet may be coated with adhesiv repelling layer only in the area of said supporting strip, whereas in the area of the index portions said backing sheet is non repelling. In this case the index portion will be firmly adherent to the label so that it cannot be exchanged.

In another embodiment of the present invention the longitudinal cutting line to devide the backing material into a supporting strip and index portions is executed not vertically but in an angle to the label portions.

By this typing on the index portion will be facilitated as the index tab will not be released so easily from the supporting strip by turning round the typewriter roll.

In a further modification of the present invention the longitudinal cutting lines to divide the format sheet into tab strips are executed as score lines so that the tab strips are coherent and arranged one over the other in an continuous form. Thus also a printing of the tabs on tabulating machines is possible.

It is further an object of the invention to affix to a first index tab a second index tab, by using the lower edge of the second index portions as an abutting edge against the upper edge of the first tab. The indices and designations may especially in this case be very variable, so the index portion of the seond tab may for instance receive a preliminary mark which may be removed by releasing the index portion from the label. This label portion which consists preferably of a transparent foil may after removing the index portion be used as a protection foil by folding over the first index tab and affixing it to the front side of the said tab and the member. 7

Another form of this invention provides an index tab, which has a pocket to insert additionally index strips or other objects as punched cards or folded punched tapes.

In this embodiment the cutting line for deviding the backing sheet into a supporting strip and index portions has the form of a winding course like a meander. The tab may also be provided with folding lines in order to form an expandible pocket so that voluminous folded punched paper tapes may be inserted therein.

The various forms of the present invention and the features thereof, together with the method of making the same will be hereinafter fully pointed out.

In the drawings forming part of this specification FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective viei of a portion of the supporting strip with several index tabs, the first part of said strip is bent away to show one index tab more clearly.

FIG. 2 illustrates the back view of a portion of the format sheet with index tabs cut free by a plurality of longitudinal and transversal cutting lines.

FIG. 3 is a face view of a portion like FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line A-B of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an index tab designated on the index portion and affixed to the rear side of a card or member.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an index tab designated on the projecting part of the label portion of said tab and affixed to the front side of a card or member.

FIG. 7 illustrates a back view of a portion of the continuous form of tab strips devided by score lines.

FIG. 8 illustrates the face view of the continuous form like FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an index tab affixed to a card with a second index tab affixed to the first tab.

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view like FIG. 9, the second index tab consisting of transparent foil folded over the index portion of the first tab.

FIG. 11 illustrates index tabs with pockets to insert index portions.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an index tab with a pocket affixed to a member.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a tab like FIG. 12 with folding lines to insert voluminous material into the pocket.

FIG. 14 is a side view to FIG. 13.

In carrying out the invention the index tab 10 is cut free by the cutting lines 14,15,16,17 and 18 fom a format sheet 11, consisting of a sheet material 12 coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive and a backing sheet 13 coated with an adhesive repelling layer.

Said format sheet 11 is cut into strips by the cutting lines 14 18 according to the width of the index tab 10. The cutting lines 16 and are separating individual labels 19 from the adhesive coated material 12, the cutting lines 15 going also through the backing sheet 13. A cutting line 17 is designed to devide the backing sheet 13 into a supporting strip and a portion 21 used as a stiffening and designation member of the protruding part of the index tab.

It will be apparent that in this manner index tabs 10 are provided side by side, which consists of a label 19 coated on one side with a portion 21 and a continous supporting strip 20. The index tab 10 may be easily be removed from said supporting strip 20 by gripping the tab at the portion 21 and pulling it away from the supporting strip 20. Then the index tab 10 may be attached to a card or member 22, as illustrated in FIG. 5 and 6, using the edge 23 as an abutting edge against the card edge 24 and securing it at the surface of said card 22 by the pressure sensitive layer 25 (FIG. 1).

It will be apparent that the index tab 10 may receive a mark on the portion 21 and/or the label 19 and said tab may be attached with the label 19 to the front side or rear side of the card or membe 22 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and 6.

The portion 21 having adhesive repelling qualities may be removed and replaced by another portion 21 with or without adhesive repelling qualities so that the index designations may be changed as may be desired.

If no further change of the designation is desired the portion 21 should not be adhesive repellent. In this case the backing sheet 13 may have adhesive repelling coating only in the area of the supporting strip 20 whereas in the area of the portion 21 said backing sheet 13 will be non repellent so that portion 21 will firmly adhere to the label 19.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated an index tab 10 of which the longitudinal cutting line 17 to divide the backing sheet 13 into the supporting strip 20 and the portion 21 is not cut vertically but in an angle ofless than 90 to the label 19. This feature will prevent resolving the upper edge ofthe strip 20 from the label 19 when the index tab 10 will be turned round a typewriter roll for the purpose of typing on the portion 21.

A similar problem will arise designating the index tabs 10 in tabulating machines of the electronic processing. In this case it will be required that the index tabs 10 are arranged in a continuous form 26 with a plurality of control punch holes 27 formed along the length of the marginal edges thereof which holes are used to mate with appropriate pin driving mechanism us of the tabulating machine, whereby the index tabs 10 are arraged in a plurality of strips 20 one over the other. The marginal strip of punched holes 27 may be formed from the backing sheet material 13 or from both the backing sheet 13 and adhesive sheet 12. In carrying out this invention to attain a continuous form 26 the cutting lines 14, respectively 18 is scored in the adhesive coated material 12, i.e. said lines 14 will be interrupted in some points so that there will remain connecting dots which hold the rows of the individual index tabs 10 together. After designation, the rows of tabs transversely connected by the supporting strip 20 which is connected with the marginal strips of punched holes 27 may easily be separated.

It will be apparent that in this case the surface of the continuous form 26 will remain closed if it is turned round the machine rolls of samll diameter and no resolving cutting edges will disturb the machine operation. In this case, however, the designation should be preferably executed only on the labels 19.

It will be apparent that the label 19 of the tab 10 may also be formed from the adhesive coated material 12 consisting of a transparent foil with an adhesive layer. This form permits the inscription of index portion 21 on both sides as the rear side of said portion 21 will show through the transparent foil. For rear side inscription the portion 21 may be removed from the transparent foil and attached after inscription or replaced by another designated portion. Index tabs of this construction may also be affixed to an index tab 10 which has been already attached to a member 22. Then the portion 21 may have an additional or preliminary inscription which may afterwards be removed.

After removing the portion 21' the overlapping part of the label 10' may be folded over the first index tab 10 and glued to the portion 21 as well as to the front side of the member 22, as is illustrated in FIG. 10.

In this manner an existing index tab 10 which has been attached to a member may at any time be protected against dust and scratches. This method has furthermore the advantage that the protecting label may be attached after the inscription is final.

It is apparent that an index tab 10 may also be manufactured with a second index tab 10' as a mounted unit, as is illustrated in FIG. 9 whereby of course instead of the member 22 there will be the supporting strip 20.

In a further embodiment of this invention the cutting line 29 in the backing sheet 13, as shows FIG. 11, has a meander-like winding course.

After removing the tab 30 with T-shaped portion 31 from the supporting strip 32 the edges 33 of the portion 33 may serve as abutting edges against the upper edge 24 of the card or member 22. The lower part 31 of the portion 31 is covering the intermediate part-of the pressure sensitive adhesive coated label 34, whereas a U- shaped area of the label 34 is laid open so that a pocket 35 for an additional changeable index strip 36 is formed when said tab is affixed to the surface of a card or member 22.

It will be apparent that said pocket 35 as shown in FIG. 13 may not only be used for index strip 36 but also other objects may be inserted not illustrated in the drawing, as for example zig-zag folded punched paper tapes or cards.

If these strips are voluminous, the tab may be provided with groove lines 37 so that a pocket 35 may be formed by expandable sides 38 as FIG. 13 illustrates. FIG. 11 shows a tab with these groove lines 37 in the left part of the drawings, whereas the right tab of the drawing has no groove lines.

It is obvious that many variations and changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, and it is to be understood tht all such variations are intended to be included in the appended claims as is broadly consistent with the prior art.

What I claim is: V

1. An index tab adapted to be attached to a card, comprising in combination:

a. a label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first, T-shaped zone and a second, U-shaped zone partially surrounding said first zone; said label portion having, in said first zone, a progressively bulging configuration;

b. a T-shaped index or covering portion attached to said face of said label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; and

c. a U-s'haped supporting strip having a face provided with an adhesive repelling coating, said supporting strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said face of said label portion over the entire area of said second zone; said label portion being adapted to be attached by said second zone to said card subsequent to the removal of said supporting strip, whereby said label portion and said covering portion attached thereto define an open pocket with a wall portion of said card. 

1. An index tab adapted to be attached to a card, comprising in combination: a. a label portion having a face coated over its entire area with a pressure-sensitive adhesive; said face being divided into a first, T-shaped zone and a second, U-shaped zone partially surrounding said first zone; said label portion having, in said first zone, a progressively bulging configuration; b. a T-shaped index or covering portion attached to said face of said label portion over the entire area of said first zone in registry therewith; and c. a U-shaped supporting strip having a face provideD with an adhesive repelling coating, said supporting strip being attached, with its adhesive repelling coating, to said face of said label portion over the entire area of said second zone; said label portion being adapted to be attached by said second zone to said card subsequent to the removal of said supporting strip, whereby said label portion and said covering portion attached thereto define an open pocket with a wall portion of said card. 